vanessah.nah

Articles by Vanessa Nah

Vanessa likes her personal finance articles the way she likes her sitcoms—funny, entertaining, and leaving people knowing a little more about life. In another life, Vanessa was the biggest nerd in class and was *this* close to doing a PhD. That researcher is still in her as she now digs out the ins and outs of personal loans, T&Cs of credit cards, and ups and downs of alternative investments. When Vanessa’s not debunking finance myths, you’ll find her attending dance classes, fingerpicking a guitar, or fulfilling her life mission to make her one-eyed cat the most spoiled kitty in the world.

cny-2024-reunion-dinner-singapore-set-menus
Dining
CNY Reunion Dinner 2024—12 Chinese Restaurant Set Meals Under $60++/pax
We feel it too—that impending anxiety of what’s to come at a Chinese New Year (CNY) reunion dinner. Relatives will be relatives, and it isn’t Chinese New Year if you...
22 January 2024
Li Chun 2024: The Most Auspicious Date and Time to Deposit Money This Chinese New Year 2024
Entertainment
Li Chun 2024: The Most Auspicious Date and Time to Deposit Money This Chinese New Year 2024
You might not know it by name, but perhaps you’ve noticed snaking queues at cash deposit machines on a particular day during the Chinese New Year (CNY) period. That date...
19 January 2024
reading-trending-reddit-threads-in-singapore
Opinion
Think You’re Having a Rotten Week? Read These Reddit Threads
Yesterday while waiting for the lift to head into the office, I asked my colleague to confirm what day of the week it was: “Is it Thursday today?” “Yeah,” he...
19 January 2024
best-vet-clinics-singapore-prices
Budgeting
17 Popular Vet Clinics in Singapore and Their Prices—Consultation, Vaccinations and More (2024)
People always poke fun at pet parents, saying that furkids are like children, except they will never “grow up”, earn money and take care of you when you’re old. They’re...
12 January 2024
ocbc-infinity-cashback-card-review-2024-moneysmart
Credit Cards
OCBC INFINITY Cashback Card—The Best Unlimited Cashback Card in Singapore? MoneySmart Review (2024)
For the uninitiated, there are mainly 5 unlimited cashback cards in Singapore’s credit card scene. Of these, I consider only 4 to be truly “unlimited” both in terms of cashback...
3 January 2024
guide-to-investing-in-guitars-heirlooms-music-dino-yong
Invest
A Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Guitars: Vintage Guitars, Boutique Guitars, and More
Would you pay US$1,587,500 for a guitar? This staggering figure is the actual price that Kurt Cobain’s left-handed Skystang I guitar sold for last month at auction (alongside an unopened...
14 December 2023
heirlooms-music-singapore-dino-yong
Invest
Why Investing In Guitars Beats Investing In Property
Forget brick-and-mortar houses. Skip your S&P 500 shares. Today’s choicest investments could be made of spruce, mahogany, and 6 steel strings. Guitars are better investments than property, said memorabilia expert...
12 December 2023
hdb-bto-dec-2023-review
Property
HDB BTO Dec 2023 Launch: Locations, Prices, Application Rates, and More
Was 2023 supposed to be your year to finally get a Built-To-Order (BTO) flat? If you clicked on this article, I suppose that day has yet to come. Listen up,...
10 December 2023
The Best Entry-Level Luxury Watches to Buy in a Falling Market: Top Picks From Our Resident Watch Collector
High Life
The Best Entry-Level Luxury Watches to Buy in a Falling Market: Top Picks From Our Resident Watch Collector
It’s time to buy that Rolex. Well, if you really want a Rolex for the Rolex. If you’re eyeing a luxury watch as an investment piece, things are a bit...
29 November 2023
travel-safety-women-lgbtq-persons-with-disabilities
Travel
Travel Safety: Tips for Women, LGBTQ+, and Persons with Disabilities
I once had a creepy guy approach me in a Uniqlo store overseas. He grabbed my hands, called me beautiful, and begged me to let him take a photo of...
27 November 2023
pet-birthday-cakes-singapore-dog-cat-hamster-rabbit
Entertainment
6 Best Pet Birthday Cakes in Singapore For Dogs, Cats, Hamsters And More
For my cat’s past 2 birthdays, these are the homemade birthday “cakes” I made for her: I thought my handiwork had improved—that latest birthday cake ain’t half bad, right? A...
10 November 2023
how-to-invest-$100k-tips-advice-reddit
Invest
“How Should I Invest $100k?”: We Rate Advice From Reddit
If life gives you $100,000, can Reddit tell you how to turn it into a money tree? “Put it in UOB One.” “All in Bitcoin, thank me later.” “Use the...
8 November 2023
japan-travel-hacks-save-money-budget
Travel
Japan Rail Pass Prices Have Increased By 70%! Here Are 7 Must-Know Travel Hacks To Save Money in Japan
It’s no secret that Singaporeans love visiting Japan. And as most Japan aficionados would know, the unlimited travel Japan Rail (JR) Pass is a cost effective way to get around...
31 October 2023
travel-aggregators-questions-answered
Travel
Are Travel Aggregators Secure? Harder to Claim From?—Your Questions About Travel Aggregators, Answered.
Ah, Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda… Names that almost roll off the tongue when we think about jet-setting to a new destination or planning that dream vacation. Most of us have probably...
the-price-to-pay-for-flying-cheap
Travel
The Price To Pay For Flying Cheap: Do Budget Airlines Compensate You For Flight Delays and Cancellations?
What if we told you that flying cheap might come at a higher price?  In May 2023, we surveyed 1,730 Singaporean adults on flight delays and cancellations. We found a...
27 October 2023
uob-krisflyer-credit-card-review-moneysmart
Credit Cards
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card—MoneySmart Review 
KrisFlyer miles chasers, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card might be the easiest, most fuss-free miles card for you. This card lets you earn KrisFlyer miles directly with no conversion fee...
25 October 2023
layoff-guide-mental-health
Career
How to Handle a Layoff: A Step-By-Step Guide
When our colleague’s friend, Bernard*, was told to go to the office early on a Monday morning “for a chat”, he had a bad feeling. Monday was not a usual...
10 October 2023
are-typewriters-good-investments-type8ar
Entertainment
Are Typewriters Good Investments? Or Just For Nostalgic Sentiment? We Find Out From a Typewriter Enthusiast
Out with the old? More like out with the new. Retro is in, and there’s one old school item that’s met a recent resurgence in popularity. You could say something...
28 September 2023
negotiate salary transferable skills
Career
How Do I Negotiate My Salary When Switching Careers?
Once upon a time, making a career switch was seen as something scary, uncommon, and worrying. It was something one resorted to, not something anyone would willingly opt to do....
13 September 2023
what-happens-overpay-credit-card-balance-refund-what-to-do
Credit Cards
I Overpaid My Credit Card Bill. Now What?
Last month, I overpaid my credit card bill. For the second time. “I think your 2 braincells can’t handle having a credit card,” my sister said helpfully, when I burst...
11 September 2023
students-overseas-money-transfer-fees
Budgeting
Singaporeans Studying Abroad Lose $446 Every Year Due To This Hidden Fee
It may be expensive to study abroad, but hefty tuition fees are pretty much inevitable once you decide that a degree from a Singapore university isn’t for you.  There is,...
26 August 2023
dcs-ultimate-platinum-mastercard-review
Credit Cards
Why Are There 2 DCS Ultimate Platinum Cards? Should I Get 1?
I’m always wary of cards that are marketed as “XX Ultimate” or “XX Platinum”. For all their outlandish names declaring “I am the best!”, these cards seem to be mostly...
24 August 2023
citi-ultima-card-review-moneysmart
Credit Cards
Citi Ultima Card: Luxury Private Island Access, Supercar Drive Experiences—MoneySmart Review 2023
There’s 1 Citi credit card that 99% of us will never even see in real life, much less hold in our hands. The odds of meeting a Citi Ultima Card...
23 August 2023
national-day-rally-2023-highlights-housing-bto-plus
Property
5 Housing Highlights from National Day Rally 2023: New HDB BTO Plus Category, More Housing Options for Singles, And More
Over the weekend, PM Lee delivered his National Day Rally 2023 speech. These National Day Rally Speeches can bear pretty big news. Just last year, PM Lee announced that masks...
21 August 2023
answering-reddit-questions-about-digital-banks
Invest
“What Can Digital Banks Provide That Regular Banks Can’t?”: Answering Reddit Questions About Digital Banks
Are digital banks the new way to bank? Since the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) began issuing digital bank licences, digital banks have been popping up on our feeds and...